disaBled neuroaCtIvely

About the author

I’m at the Future BNCI conference that I organized in Austria in 2010 with some European BCI practitioners. Drs. Thorsten Zander and Christa Neuper are prominent in front.

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disaBled neuroaCtIvely by Brendan zaChary allIson

“Your honor, it’s widely known that the neural implant called the SmartPlant greatly enhances reasoning and other cognitive faculties. Last year, 100% of people licensed to practice law in this district had the SmartPlant. The prosecutor, and respectfully her honor as well, have presumably been so implanted and possess cognitive capabilities well beyond my own.” The defendant looked questioningly at the judge.

“Presumption noted. Please continue.”

“I’ve never been implanted. I thus humbly and respectfully submit that I am unable to properly understand the charge, nor fathom an adequate response to the non-disabled prosecutor.”

“Because you’re limited to your healthy, God-given cognitive faculties?”

“Because that’s unhealthy nowadays. I’m cognitively disabciled.” He shrugged. “Because I’m only human.”

“That’s the worst defense to a speeding ticket I’ve ever heard. The defendant has thereby convinced the court of his disability. Case dismissed.”

Author Commentary

I gave a talk about BCIs at TedX Del Mar in 2013. The event had a lot of discussion about transhumanism and the concept of “future disability.” This means that people considered normal or healthy today might be considered disabled in a future where everyone else has some kind of enhancement. This is also common in BCI ethics discussions and papers and goes well beyond BCIs. What if most people are enhanced by other technologies, medications, novel educational methods, or other advances? Would they be at a disadvantage relative to others? Might this increase the gap between the haves and the have-nots?

I addresses some similar issues here.

Realism

I think the underlying concern is quite realistic – someday, people without the benefits of some novel advance might be “disabled” relative to people who do have it. This is broadly true today; of course, people with more money, in areas with better infrastructures, have less of a hill to climb to success than others.

As to the specific invention – an implant that makes you smarter – yes, I think this will eventually be developed. The first such invention may not be one to increase “classical” intelligence like this. It may instead be one that improves motor intelligence, for example – improved dexterity or task learning. Look at e.g. Pascual-Leone’s work with TMS to improve motor learning.

Hope

There’s some hope here. First, society will develop a method to improve “classical” intelligence. Second, society (or at least this judge) will recognize the future disability defense. Obviously, the uneven distribution of future enhancements is not especially hopeful.

Edit History

I wrote this in 2013 posted it in March 2024.

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